Louisa put an arm round her shoulders. ‘He used to run a rather large company and it’s inevitable that he’s got into the habit of ruling the roost – especially when it’s something connected with business. It’ll take a while to train him out of it, I’m afraid, my dear. Is tonight worth making a fuss about this?’

‘I suppose not.’

But as she got ready, Megan couldn’t help worrying. Since she’d come up to London she’d hardly had any time alone with Ben and tonight would be no different. She could feel a distance building between them and could see no way to prevent it.

Of course he had to tie up all his business arrangements, she did understand that. But surely he could have postponed their flight to Australia for a week or two? They really needed some time together to build their relationship. Why was he rushing her into marriage at this breakneck speed?

And then there was this Cynthia person. Did Ben still do business with her husband? Did he still think about her?

Was she the reason he had said he wanted no pretence of romance?

Chapter 6

At six o’clock on her wedding morning, Megan woke in a state of blind panic after tossing and turning for half the night. She simply couldn’t do this!

Grabbing her dressing gown, she marched into the kitchen, knowing Louisa would be there because her hostess was an early riser.

Megan clutched the dressing gown round her with hands that trembled. ‘I can’t go through with it! I just can’t!’

Louisa looked up from making a cup of tea and her smile of greeting turned swiftly to concern. ‘My dear, you look absolutely dreadful!’

‘Did you hear what I said? I can’t marry your nephew.’

Not like this, anyway. If things had been different. Perhaps if they had fallen madly in love… and whatever he said, she did believe in romance and love. Only they hadn’t. She must have been crazy to agree to his proposal. She sank onto a chair, burying her face in her hands and repeating the only thing of which she was sure that morning, ‘I can’t do it.’

An arm went round her shoulders and a voice said in her ear, ‘Tell me what’s upset you so much, dear.’

Megan surprised herself by bursting into tears and sagging against the older woman, of whom she had grown very fond in the short time they’d spent together. ‘It’s not that I don’t like Ben.’ She liked him too much for her own good. ‘It’s just that we don’t know one another well enough and—’

At that moment the phone rang. ‘Oh, dear! Excuse me a minute.’ Louisa picked the receiver up, listened for a moment, then mouthed, ‘It’s the hotel’s catering manager. Ben rang them last night. He wants a few changes made.’